Press release by the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ)
The Federal Minister of Education and Research, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, and ministers from the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony signed the federal-state administration agreement for the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT). At the same time, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg University Hospital inaugurated the extension and annex to the NCT Heidelberg. The owner DKFZ ceremoniously handed over the key to the Heidelberg University Hospital, which operates the building.
The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) is a long-term cooperation between the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), excellent partners in university medicine and other outstanding research partners.
It is a historic step for clinical-translational cancer research in Germany: the NCT is expanding its presence from two to six locations. Heidelberg and Dresden will now be joined by the Berlin, Southwest (Tübingen, Stuttgart, Ulm), WERA (Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg, Augsburg) and West (Cologne and Essen) sites. Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research, acknowledged the importance of this step at a celebratory launch event in Heidelberg on November 24, 2023: "Cancer remains one of the greatest challenges for modern medicine. Our strongest tool against this is excellent research. By expanding the National Centre for Tumour Diseases to six sites, we want to achieve a breakthrough in personalized cancer research and cancer medicine in equal measure. So that the diagnosis of incurable will soon no longer exist. The NCT combines excellent research with top-class care under one roof. Here, patients receive rapid access to innovative therapeutic approaches. They are involved as research partners from the very beginning. In addition, patient representatives have been involved in the development of a research structure for the first time ever. With the NCT, we are creating something unique that will change cancer research in the long term for the benefit of patients."
Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Michael Baumann, Spokesperson of the NCT Steering Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), said: "This expansion strengthens our capacity to bring the latest advances in cancer research to patients more quickly. The NCT is thus decisively expanding its important role in the development of innovative cancer therapies."
Prof. Dr. Michael Hallek from NCT West, also spokesperson of the NCT Steering Committee, emphasized the regional impact of the expansion: "The proximity to patients in different federal states enables us to adapt care even better to individual needs. This is an important step towards personalized cancer therapy."
Rudolf Hauke, spokesperson for the NCT Patient Research Council, said: "We welcome the expansion of the NCT as a step towards even greater integration of the patient perspective in cancer research and patient care. This integration is crucial for the further development of clinical trials and thus benefits us patients."
Inauguration of the NCT Heidelberg extension
In addition to the signing of the federal-state administrative agreement, the NCT Heidelberg celebrated the inauguration of the extension building, which was co-financed by the state of Baden-Württemberg with 20 million euros. Petra Olschowski, Minister of Science, Research and the Arts of the State of Baden-Württemberg, commented: "The DKFZ, the Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) have jointly written a success story with the idea of combining cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art patient care under one roof. The NCT Heidelberg has been doing valuable work in the field of precision oncology since 2004. Thanks to the spatial expansion, even more patients will be able to benefit from the outstanding cancer research in the future."
Ursula Weyrich, Commercial Director of the DKFZ, joined Minister Petra Olschowski in a symbolic act to hand over the key to the spokespersons of the Board of Directors of the NCT Heidelberg and the Board of Directors of Heidelberg University Hospital: "Research and practice will have more space together and at the same time move even closer together. We hope that the modern aesthetics of the building will contribute to many inspirations and joint innovations in cancer research and treatment for our colleagues at the NCT Heidelberg."
Prof. Dr. Ingo Autenrieth, Chief Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of Heidelberg University Hospital, emphasized the benefits of the new building sections: "With the extension and the annex, the NCT Heidelberg now has even more space for clinical research. With the focus on early clinical trials, the comprehensive care of cancer patients at Heidelberg University Hospital will become even more innovative at the highest international level."
Prof. Dr. Stefan Fröhling, Spokesman of the Board of Directors of the NCT Heidelberg, expressed his thanks: "The key is symbolic of access to a new building, but also of new paths in our close cooperation with all the sponsors of the NCT Heidelberg." Prof. Dr. Dirk Jäger, also Spokesman of the Board of Directors of the NCT Heidelberg, emphasized: "The new building supports researchers, doctors and patients in the fight against cancer. Every investment in cancer research helps to save patients' lives."
Photos © Uwe Anspach/DKFZ
Facts about the extension and new building of the NCT Heidelberg:
- Architecture and open space planning: Behnisch Architekten, Stuttgart
- Laboratory planning: Dr. Heinekamp, Laboratory and Institute Construction, Karlsfeld
- Planning start: November 2016
- Inauguration: 24.11.2023
- Laboratory building extension:
- Four storeys with clinic-related research areas on the first floor and laboratories on the two upper floors
- Usable area: 1,440 m2
- New building:
- Four storeys with connecting corridor to the existing building; office space
- Usable area: 1,129 m2
- Solid timber construction (Nordic spruce, beech, German oak)
- Art in the building: Laura Aberham, Düsseldorf
Press photos of the event will be available for free download here from 24.11.2023 at 3 p.m., © Uwe Anspach/DKFZ: https://www.dkfz.de/de/presse/download/nct-erweiterung-24112023.html
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.
To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT, 6 sites)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, 8 sites)
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim
- National Cancer Prevention Center (jointly with German Cancer Aid)
The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.
The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT)
The NCT is a long-term cooperation between the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), excellent partners in university medicine and other outstanding research partners at various locations in Germany: Berlin, Dresden, Heidelberg, SouthWest (Tübingen/Stuttgart-Ulm), WERA (Würzburg with the partners Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg) and West (Cologne/Essen). The expansion of the NCT to six sites was driven by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the National Decade Against Cancer and supported by the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony. The aim of the NCT is to promote clinical-translational research topics, so that innovations in cancer research can be transferred to studies more quickly and safely and tumor diseases can be treated more successfully while maintaining a high quality of life. The focus is on the patients, who are integrated into the NCT structures as research partners, so that they have rapid access to new clinical trials and innovative therapeutic approaches.
The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg
The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg University Hospital and German Cancer Aid. The NCT's goal is to link promising approaches from cancer research with patient care from diagnosis to treatment, aftercare and prevention. The interdisciplinary tumor outpatient clinic is the central element of the NCT. Here the patients benefit from an individual treatment plan prepared in a timely manner in interdisciplinary expert rounds, the so-called tumor boards. Participation in clinical studies provides access to innovative therapies. The NCT thereby acts as a pioneering platform that translates novel research results from the laboratory into clinical practice. The NCT cooperates with self-help groups and supports them in their work. The pediatric oncologists at the KiTZ work together in joint structures with the NCT Heidelberg.
Heidelberg University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine: Internationally Renowned Patient Care, Research and Teaching
Heidelberg University Hospital (Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, UKHD) is one of the largest and most prestigious medical centers in Germany. The Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University (Medizinische Fakultät Heidelberg, MFHD) belongs to the internationally renowned biomedical research institutions in Europe. Both institutions have the common goal of developing new therapies and implementing them rapidly for patients. Heidelberg University Hospital and the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University employs around 14.500 employees and is committed to providing trainings and qualifications. Every year, around 86,000 patients and more than 1.100.000 outpatient cases are treated in more than 50 clinical departments with almost 2.500 beds. Together with the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the German Cancer Aid, the UKHD established the first National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) in Heidelberg. The goal is to provide care at the highest level as an oncology center of excellence and to rapidly transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the hospital. In addition, the UKHD operates in partnership with the DKFZ and the University of Heidelberg the Hopp Children’s Cancer center Heidelberg (KiTZ), a unique and nationally known therapy and research center for oncological and hematological diseases in children and adolescents. The Heidelberg Curriculum Medicinale (HeiCuMed) is one of the top medical training programs in Germany. Currently, there are about 4.000 future physicians studying in Heidelberg.
Press contact:
Dr. Sibylle Kohlstädt
Pressesprecherin
Strategische Kommunikation und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg
T: +49 6221 42 2843
F: +49 6221 42 2968
E-Mail: S.Kohlstaedt@dkfz.de
E-Mail: presse@dkfz.de
www.dkfz.de
Janna von Greiffenstern
Kommunikation erweitertes NCT
Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg
T: +49 6221 42 2255
F: +49 6221 42 2968
E-Mail: Janna.vonGreiffenstern@dkfz-heidelberg.de
www.nct.dkfz.de
Dr. Martin Staiger
Nationales Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen (NCT) Heidelberg
Kommunikation und Veranstaltungen
Im Neuenheimer Feld 460
69120 Heidelberg
Tel.: +49 6221 42-1755
E-Mail: martin.staiger@nct-heidelberg.de
www.nct-heidelberg.de
Dr. Stefanie Seltmann
Leiterin Unternehmenskommunikation, Pressesprecherin Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg und Medizinische Fakultät der Universität Heidelberg
Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Im Neuenheimer Feld 672
69120 Heidelberg
Tel.: +49 6221 56-5052
Fax: +49 6221 56-4544
E-Mail: Stefanie.Seltmann@med.uni-heidelberg.de
www.klinikum.uni-heidelberg.de